Other Village Industries

These stand on a different footing from Khadi. There is not much scope for voluntary labour in them. Each industry will take the labour of only a certain number of hands. These industries come in as a handmaid to Khadi. They cannot exist without Khadi, and maid to Khadi. They cannot exist without Khadi and Khadi will be robbed of its dignity without them. Village economy cannot be complete without them. Village economy cannot be complete without the essential village industries such as hand-grinding, hand-pounding, soap-making, paper-making, match-making, tanning, oil-pressing, etc. Congressman can interest themselves in these and, if they are villagers or will settle down in villages they will give these industries a new life and a new dress. All should make it a point of honor to use only a village articles whenever and wherever available. Given a demand there is no doubt most of our wants can be supplied from our villages. When we have become village minded we will not want imitations of the west or machine made products but we will develop a true national taste in keeping with the vision of a new India in which pauperism, starvation and idleness will be unknown.